Valve means of gas meters



Jan. 31, 1939. A, BUJNOWSK, 2345,34@ VALVE MEANS '0E GAS METERS I* Filed NOV. 25, 1935 FIG, 1 Q/ f wwf/WUR l Patented qian. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 25, 1935, Serial No. 51,532 In Great Britain January 16, 1935 1 Claim.

This invention relates to gas meters of the movable diaphragm type, that is, the type in which valve means are operated by movement of diaphragms for controlling the admission of gas g5 to and outlet of gas from the diaphragm-chambers, and it is concerned with meters having four diaphragm-chambers.

Generally gas meters of the movable diaphragm type are provided with valve means of slide-Valve character, but it has been proposed to provide gas meters having four diaphragm-chambers with rotary valve means comprising a. valve face having a gas outlet port through which gas passes from the meter, and gas distribution ports, one for each diaphragm-chamber, disposed about the outlet port, a valve being rotatable on the valve face for controlling the ports, and it is to rotary valve means of that kind that the present invention refers.

The object of this invention is to provide a gas meter of the four diaphragm-chamber type such that there shall be little resistance to the flow of gas therethrough and such that fluctuations of any appreciable magnitude in the rate of flow Will be eliminated, the ow being maintained nearly constant, and to effect improvements in construction generally.

According to this invention, there is provided a gas meter of the four diaphragm-chamber type comprising a valve chamber, a diaphragm casing separated from the valve chamber by a separating wall, a rotary valve within the valve charnber, and a valve face provided on the wall for the rotary valve to work on, the four diaphragmchambers being formed within the diaphragm casing by a stationary partition, which divides the casing into two, and two movable diaphragms, two at least of the diaphragm-chambers, directly communicating with the valve face through apertures in the separating wall, and the rotary valve and valve face are such that for the greater part of each revolution of the valve each of the four distribution ports is fully open, two distribution ports being simultaneously fully open for admission of gas to their diaphragm-chambers and the other two distribution ports for passage of gas from their diaphragm-chambers to the outlet port. The arrangement may, for example, be such that each of the distribution ports is fully open, for approximately 240 in each revolution, and further, such that complete closure of any distribution port is only momentary, the closure being by a part of the valve which is just large enough to provide suilcient lap to completely close the port in the change-over of the port from apart, are situated at an appreciable distance r apart from one another circumferentially about the outlet port, there being, if the distribution ports are circular, a distance of, say, twice their diameter between adjacent ports, and the valve may be a rotary member having a single recess at its under side for passage of gas, the recess being always in communication with the outlet ports and extending angularly between diametrically opposite, radially extending bearing parts of the valve member so arranged as to close diametrically opposite distribution ports successively twice per revolution as the valve member revolves, the valve member leaving the distribution port or ports on the other side of the bearing parts from the recess open for admission and separating the port or ports on one side of the bearing parts from the port or ports on the other side.

An example of construction according to this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan showing a gas meter having valve means in accordance with the invention, the side of the meter casing being removed in Figure 1 and the top in Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a front sectional view, Figure 4 is a plan, and Figure 5 is a side sectional view showing the valve means.

The gas meter comprises a diaphragm casing A, a valve chamber B, a mechanism chamber C, and valve means D Within the chamber B. Within the compartment A four diaphragm-chambers A1, A2, A3 vand A4 are formed by two diaphragms or bellows 5 and a central partition 6 upon which the diaphragms are mounted. Mechanism of known construction is provided whereby the toand-fro movement of the bellows is converted into rotary motion of the valve means D.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the valve means D shown comprises a rotary valve E, and a valve face F in which there is a central gas outlet port I leading to a gas outlet pipe 8, and four distribution ports I, 2, 3 and 4 in communication respectively with the diaphragm-chambers A1, A2, A3 and A4, communication with the chambers A3 and A4 being directly through the distribution ports 3 and 4, and in the case of the chambers A1 and A2 being through straight short connecting tubes, see Figure 1. The valve E has at its under side a recess 9,

which comprises a central part situated over the gas outlet port 1 and a sector-shaped part of nearly semi-circular form, being about 150, extending between two flat bearing surfaces I0 Which extend radially in opposite directions from the central part of the recess 9, and the valve E has a bearing edge I2 al1 round its circular periphery.

Assuming that the Valve E is initially in such a position that its radial bearing surfaces I0 are closing ports 2 and 4, these bearing surfaces being of a breadth just suicient to do this, extending over an angle of about 30, the cycle of operation is as follows: Port 3 is open for admission of gas, which is supplied to the valve chamber B by a pipe I3, and the associated port I is open for outlet of gas through the recess 9 of the Valve E to the outlet port 'I. When the valve la." has rotated through about 30 port 4 is now fully open for admission of gas as well as port 3, and port 2 is fully open for outlet of gas as well as port I, and this is the condition for about 30, when ports I and 3 begin to be closed and are fully closed when the Valve E has turned from the initial position. When the valve E has turned through a further 30 all the distribution ports are again fully open, ports I and 4 for admission and ports 2 and 3 for outlet, and this is thecondition for a further 30, and so on. Thus, each of the four distribution ports is fully open for 60 in each quadrant of rotation of the valve, that is, altogether for 240 per revolution, and complete closure of any one distribution port is only momentary. All four of the distribution ports are simultaneously fully open for per revolution.

In a modification, the gas supply may be through the central port in the valve face and outlet be from the Valve chamber.

A gas meter of the four diaphragm-chamber type comprising a valve chamber, a diaphragm casing, a wall of plate character separating the valve chamber and diaphragm casing, a rotary valve within the valve chamber, a valve face member having four distribution ports mounted on said wall for the rotary valve to work on, said valve having two lands whereby each port is closed twice during each complete revolution oi the valve,` a stationary partition dividing the diaphragm casing into two parts, two movable diaphragms one in each of said parts of the casing so that four diaphragm-chambers are formed within the diaphragm casing by the partition and diaphragms, two of the diaphragm-chambers being in direct communication with the valve face through apertures in the separating wall, connections extending from the other two diaphragm-chambers to the valve face, and mechansm interposed between the diaphragms and the rotary valve for the transmission of movement from the diaphragms to the rotary valve, said distribution ports being of such shape and being so located with respect to the axis of rotation of the valve and said lands being of such width that each of said ports is fully open for approximately 240 of each complete revolution of the valve. ALEXANDER BUJNOWSKI. 

